Final Walkthrough Home Inspection

Inspect Home Before Closing

In Boston, a Buyer will have two opportunities to inspect the home they are purchasing after the initial Offer to Purchase has been signed. The first will typically come no more than 10 days after the signing of the Offer to Purchase, and before the Purchase & Sale Agreement is signed, while the second will come hours before the final closing papers are signed, and the keys are provided to the Buyer.

The first home inspection is typically performed by a Home Inspector that is licensed in the state of Massachusetts (see the Home Inspector Fact Sheet for more information about Home Inspectors in Massachusetts), and will more than likely generate a "punch list" of items (be that small or large) that need attention. The punch list can be handled in different ways, but oftentimes, the Seller will agree to correct certain items on the punch list, or provide a credit at the closing.

It is during the final walkthrough home inspection, conducted (if possible) several hours before the closing is to take place, that confirmation of the agreed upon punch list resolution is handled. The final walkthrough also allows a Buyer to ensure that the condition of the property has not significantly changed since the time of the first inspection You will want to check that appliances function, that lights operate properly, window coverings are in place, and make sure that the movers have not caused damage to the condo.

The final walkthrough is a Buyer's last opportunity to walk through the property before money changes hands. The final walkthrough is done as close to the closing as possible, to avoid having the clutter of moving boxes and/or furniture in the way of verifying everything is in good condition (and having the condition of the property change while moving items out of the home entirely). Should a punch list of items not be taken care of, or if there is a significant negative difference in the condition of the property from when it was last inspected, the best alternative is to bring this to the attention of the Buyer's Real Estate Attorney in order to hold cash back at closing in escrow in anticipation of the Seller providing proper remedy.